Difference between revisions of "Berkshire2"

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	* Danl. C. Richmond, M.		* Danl. C. Richmond, M.
	* E. C. Hannum, Tyler.		* E. C. Hannum, Tyler.
		+
		+	<hr>
		+
		+	=== MEMORIALS ===
		+
		+	==== LELAND J. COLE d. 1861 ====
		+
		+	* MM 1859, [masonicgenealogy.com/MediaWiki/index.php?title=Berkshire2 Berkshire]
		+
		+	At a meeting of Berkshire Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons held at South Adams, Mass., March 4th, 1861, the death of Leonard J. Cole, a member of Berkshire Lodge, was announced, and the following resolutions were presented and unanimously adopted by the Lodge :—
		+	* ''Whereas'', It has pleased God in his providence to remove by death our esteemed friend and Brother Leonard J. Cole, and as it is befitting upon such occasions to give expression to our feelings of sorrow and grief, it is therefore, Resolved, That it is with feelings of deep sorrow that we have learned of the death of an esteemed Brother and friend, Leonard J. Cole. He was a true and faithful Mason; he professed as he lived, and lived as he professed; he was a man of education and culture; a man whose future was bright; he was amiable and beloved by all who knew hi ; his character unstained; his rule of action, to do right; he listened to the voice of conscience and reason for guidance ; and his protective shield was an honest heart.
		+	* ''Resolved'', That we sympathize with the relatives of the deceased in this their deep affliction—the widowed mother, the sister and brothers; but in sympathizing we cannot restore  we can remind them of the many virtues of so amiable and exemplary a character, which they will ever hold in sweet remembrance.
		+	* ''Voted'', That these resolutions be published in the Berkshire ''Post ''and Hoosac Valley ''News and Transcript'', and a copy furnished to the family of the deceased.
		+
		+	J. N. Dunham, ''Secretary of Berkshire Lodge.''
	<hr>		<hr>

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Revision as of 17:54, 3 August 2013

BERKSHIRE LODGE

Location: South Adams

Chartered By: John T. Heard

Charter Date: 09/08/1858 VI-190

Precedence Date: 11/04/1857

Current Status: Active

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PAST MASTERS

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REFERENCES IN GRAND LODGE PROCEEDINGS

• Petition for Dispensation: 1857
• Petition for Charter: 1858

ANNIVERSARIES

• 1907 (50th Anniversary)
• 1957 (Centenary)
• 1982 (125th Anniversary)
• 2007 (150th Anniversary)

VISITS BY GRAND MASTER

• 1858 (Heard; Constitution of Lodge and Hall dedication; see below)
• 1907 (Blake; 50th Anniversary)
• 1916 (M. Johnson; Hall dedication)
• 1957 (A. Jenkins; Centenary)
• 1968 (Booth; Unveiling of cornerstone)
• 1982 (Berquist; 125th Anniversary)
• 2007 (Hodgdon; 150th Anniversary)

BY-LAW CHANGES

1892 1895 1907 1916 1919 1921 1925 1926 1927 1932 1933 1947 1957 1967 1969 1970 1975 1981 1993 2003 2010

HISTORY

• 1907 (50th Anniversary Historical Address, 1907-139)
• 1957 (Centenary History, 1957-151)
• 1968 (History of Berkshire Masonry, 1968-232)
• 1982 (125th Anniversary History, 1982-129; see below)
• 2007 (150th Anniversary History, 2007-150)

125TH ANNIVERSARY HISTORY, NOVEMBER 1982

HISTORY OF BERKSHIRE LODGE, 1957 - 1982; by Rt. Wor. Brother Fritz H. Koch

(For a comprehensive history of Berkshire Lodge covering the earlier periods please refer to 1957 Mass. 151-157.)

On Saturday, November 2, 1957, Berkshire Lodge celebrated its l00th An- niversary. The Lodge received the Most Worshipful Grand Master, Andrew G. Jenkins and his suite of Grand Lodge officers. Brother George Schwarzer read a history of Berkshire Lodge prepared by him and Worshipful Brother Ernest Richardson for the occasion. After the ceremonies, the assembly proceeded to the Turn Hall where a turkey banquet was enjoyed by all and the Adams Male Glee Club entertained the Brethren.

In December of 1959, Worshipful Brother Gilbert E. Loffler was appointed District Deputy Grand Master for the North Adams 15th Masonic District by Most Worshipful Laurence E. Eaton, Grand Master. In December of 1960, Right Worshipful Gilbert E. Loffler was appointed to serve a second year as District Deputy by Most Worshipful Laurence E. Eaton.

In 1965, Berkshire Lodge was informed that the building in which the Lodge rooms were occupied on the third floor, was to be demolished for urban renewal. On March 1, 1965, a committee was formed to find new quarters for Berkshire lodge. Serving on this committee were Brother Ralph E. Anthony, Jr. and Worshipful Ftitz H. Koch as Co-Chairmen and Brother Clarence Bugbee, Brother Wilmer Pennington, Brother Harold L. Jones, Brother Bertram James and Brother Clyde J. Horton.

The most outstanding event of the last twenty-five years, without a doubt, was the purchase of the former Trinity Methodist Church on Center Street in June of 1967 for our new Lodge rooms. Due to Berkshire Lodge being in the process of moving to its new quarters, a special dispensation was granted to hold our May and June meetings in Cheshire through the courtesy of the Master and members of Upton Lodge.

After many months of work by the building and electrical contractors, plus clean-up and painting work bees of the brethren of Berkshire lodge, our new quarters were ready. The first meeting in our new Lodge rooms was held on September 9, 1968. Dedication ceremonies for our new Berkshire Lodge rooms were held on October 26, 1968, under the direction of Most Worshipful Thomas Arnold Booth, Grand Master. The Most Worshipful Grand Master arrived with two of his aides and they were greeted at the door by Worshipful Edwin Luczynski, Master of Berkshire lodge. An informal gathering was then held in the lodge rooms where members of Berkshire lodge were introduced to the Grand Master and members of his suite. After the Grand Master unveiled the new corner stone, which was cut and installed in the corner by Brother Gerard Peloquin of Mt. Tom Lodge in Holyoke, who presented it to Berkshire Lodge without cost, the new temple was dedicated in full form and ceremony. When the ceremony was concluded, Most Worshipful Brother Booth spoke to the members of Berkshire Lodge and visiting dignitaries. He praised the members and friends of Berkshire todge on their efforts to bring about what he called a beautiful temple.

In December of 1969, Worshipful Harold L. Jones was appointed District Deputy Grand Master for the North Adams 15th Masonic District by Most Worshipful Herbert H. Jaynes, Grand Master. He was reappointed by Most Worshipful Jaynes to serve a second year in December of 1970.

• Right Worshipful Gilbert E. Loffler was awarded the Joseph Warren Medal by Most Worshipful Herbert H. Jaynes and it was presented to him on May 4, 1970 by Right Worshipful Harold L. Jones.
• Worshipful Brother Fritz H. Koch was awarded the Joseph Warren Medal by Most Worshipful Herbert H. Jaynes and it was presented to him on March 6, 1972 by Right Worshipful Harold R. Amato.
• Brother Jacob Wineberg was awarded the Joseph Warren Medal for service to Berkshire Lodge and the community by Most Worshipful Arthur H. Melanson and it was presented to him on August 25,1979 by Right Worshipful Norman W. Miller at the installation of officers for the 1979-1980 season.

Worshipful Fritz H. Koch was appointed District Deputy Grand Master for the North Adams 15th Masonic District in December of 1979, by Most Worshipful Arthur H. Melanson, Grand Master. He was reappointed by Most Worshipful J. Philip Berquist to serve a second year in December of 1980.

In the long past, Berkshire lodge has been honored with the presence of Grand Lodge Officers on five different occasions, namely, on the day of our lodge Institution, on the occasion of our 50th Anniversary Celebration, at the dedication of these Masonic Rooms in 1916, at our centennial Anniversary, the dedication of our own Masonic Temple in 1968, and now at this grand and glorious occasion, our 125th Anniversary.

In bringing this historical account of Berkshire Lodge to a close let us leave all of you with this sincere thought. Our todge has been blessed throughout its one hundred and twenty-five years of existence with many worthy Brothers, who never in their Masonic careers have lost the memory of the underlying reason which prompted them to knock at the West Gate for admission. Because we think of each Brother as "Berkshire Lodge" personified, we say to all of the Brethren here today, and to you whom God has called unto Himself in the Celestial lodge above, and whose memory we shall always cherish, thank you. Your zeal and fidelity to our gentle Craft has made the dream of observing this Anniversary Celebration a happy reality. You may rest assured, that we will continue to emulate the example of Friendship, Morality and Brotherly Love which you have so fittingly set before us.

OTHER

• 1867 (Suspension and expulsion of Master)
• 1895 (Centennial celebration of Evening Star Lodge)
• 1896 (Centennial celebration of Cincinnatus Lodge)

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EVENTS

CONSTITUTION OF LODGE, SEPTEMBER 1858

From Moore's Freemason's Monthly, Vol. XVII, No. 12, September 1858, Page 381:

Tins is a new Lodge recently established at the flourishing village of South Adams, in the county of Berkshire. Having worked one year under Dispensation, it was regularly constituted by the Grand Lodge, on Tuesday, Sept. 21st, ultimo. The officers were installed, and the new hall, which is tastefully fitted up and well adapted to the purposes for which it is designed, was also dedicated, at the same time. There were quite a number of Brethren present from the neighboring Lodges, and the ceremonies passed off in a very agreeable manner. The following are the officers of the new Lodge for the current year:—

• W. Daniel Upton, M.
• H. M. Holmes, S. W.
• W. H. Tyler, J. W.
• Geo. C. Lawrence, Treas.
• Edwin T. Jenks, Secy.
• J. N. Dunham, S. D.
• John N. Morin, J. D.
• F. M. Leonard, S. S.
• Saml. H. Almy, J. S.
• Rev. E. T. Hunt, Chap.
• Danl. C. Richmond, M.
• E. C. Hannum, Tyler.

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MEMORIALS

LELAND J. COLE d. 1861

• MM 1859, [masonicgenealogy.com/MediaWiki/index.php?title=Berkshire2 Berkshire]

At a meeting of Berkshire Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons held at South Adams, Mass., March 4th, 1861, the death of Leonard J. Cole, a member of Berkshire Lodge, was announced, and the following resolutions were presented and unanimously adopted by the Lodge :—

• Whereas, It has pleased God in his providence to remove by death our esteemed friend and Brother Leonard J. Cole, and as it is befitting upon such occasions to give expression to our feelings of sorrow and grief, it is therefore, Resolved, That it is with feelings of deep sorrow that we have learned of the death of an esteemed Brother and friend, Leonard J. Cole. He was a true and faithful Mason; he professed as he lived, and lived as he professed; he was a man of education and culture; a man whose future was bright; he was amiable and beloved by all who knew hi ; his character unstained; his rule of action, to do right; he listened to the voice of conscience and reason for guidance ; and his protective shield was an honest heart.
• Resolved, That we sympathize with the relatives of the deceased in this their deep affliction—the widowed mother, the sister and brothers; but in sympathizing we cannot restore we can remind them of the many virtues of so amiable and exemplary a character, which they will ever hold in sweet remembrance.
• Voted, That these resolutions be published in the Berkshire Post and Hoosac Valley News and Transcript, and a copy furnished to the family of the deceased.

J. N. Dunham, Secretary of Berkshire Lodge.

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GRAND LODGE OFFICERS

• Robert J. Ciempa, DDGM, District 30, 2006, 2007
• Harry E. Davis, DDGM, District 15 (North Adams), 1930, 1931; SN
• Allan H. Goodrich, Sr., DDGM, District 15 (North Adams), 1988, 1989
• John E. Grant, DDGM, District 15 (North Adams), 2000, 2001
• Herbert O. Hicks, DDGM, District 14 (North Adams), 1907, 1908; Memorial
• George H. Holden, DDGM, District 14 (North Adams), 1899, 1900; SN
• Harold L. Jones, DDGM, District 15 (North Adams), 1970, 1971; N
• Fritz H. Koch, DDGM, District 15 (North Adams), 1980, 1981; N
• Donald A. Linscott, DDGM, District 15 (North Adams), 1950, 1951; SN
• Gilbert E. Loffler, DDGM, District 15 (North Adams), 1960, 1961; N
• Robert N. Richmond, DDGM, District 14 (North Adams), 1895, 1896; SN
• Felix H. Scharmann, DDGM, District 15 (North Adams), 1940, 1941; Memorial
• Daniel Upton, DDGM, District 9 (Pittsfield), 1869-1874; Junior Grand Warden 1876; SN
• Hiram E. Wilbur, DDGM, District 15 (North Adams), 1923; SN

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DISTRICTS

1857: District 9

1867: District 9 (Pittsfield)

1883: District 14 (North Adams)

1911: District 15 (North Adams)

1927: District 15 (North Adams)

2003: District 30

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LINKS

Massachusetts Lodges